Area code 249 — Ontario
Northeastern Ontario (overlay of 705). Overlay assignment, in service since 2011.
At a glance
- Country
- Canada
- Province / territory
- Ontario
- Service area
- Northeastern Ontario (overlay of 705)
- Time zone
- Eastern Time (EST/EDT, UTC-5/-4) · current offset -04:00
- Type
- Overlay
- In service since
- 2011
- Country code
- +1 (NANP)
Map
Cities served by 249
Related & overlay area codes
Area code 249 shares geography with 2 other codes serving the same region. A call placed inside this overlay must dial all 10 digits regardless of which code your own line uses.
Carriers operating in 249
The following national and regional telecommunications carriers hold central office (CO) code assignments within numbering plan area 249. Number portability means a phone number originally issued by one carrier may now ride on another carrier's network.
About area code 249
Area code 249 is a Canadian numbering plan area covering Northeastern Ontario (overlay of 705). It was placed into service in 2011 as a overlay code, and today operates under the Eastern Time (EST/EDT, UTC-5/-4) time zone.
Numbers in the 249 NPA are issued in central office (CO) blocks of 10,000 to local exchange carriers, who then assign them to subscribers. Because Canada uses a competitive carrier model under CRTC oversight, multiple carriers — both incumbent and competitive — hold blocks within 249. The current carrier of record for any specific number can be looked up via the Canadian Local Number Portability Consortium, but the originally issued carrier is no longer a reliable signal of who actually serves that line.
If you receive a call from a number beginning with 249, the caller is either physically located in or has historically been associated with Northeastern Ontario (overlay of 705). The same applies to overlay codes 705, 683: any of these area codes can correspond to a phone in the same geography, and many households carry numbers from two or three different overlays simultaneously across landlines and mobile devices.
To call a number in 249 from outside Canada and the United States, dial your country's international access prefix, then +1 249 followed by the 7-digit local number. Within the NANP, simply dial 1 followed by all 10 digits — or just the 10 digits if you are also located in an overlay region where 7-digit local dialling is no longer permitted.
Frequently asked questions
Where is area code 249?
Area code 249 serves Northeastern Ontario (overlay of 705) in Ontario, Canada.
What time zone is 249?
Numbers in 249 are in the Eastern Time (EST/EDT, UTC-5/-4) time zone.
Is 249 a toll-free or mobile-only code?
No. Canadian area codes are geographic — they apply to both landline and mobile numbers in Northeastern Ontario (overlay of 705). Toll-free codes in the NANP (800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888) are a separate category.
Why do I see calls from 249 if I do not know anyone there?
Two reasons. First, mobile portability: someone who moved away from Ontario can keep their 249 number anywhere in the world. Second, scam callers frequently spoof Canadian area codes to appear local. If you do not recognise the number, it is generally safe to let it go to voicemail.